Investigators are eyeing accusations of child abuse and domestic violence in a search for possible motives for the alleged slaying of a New York Times tech executive in a park allegedly at the hands of his in-laws, The California Post has learned.
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Post → eye → laws
Zhang and Shili Chen, both 77, allegedly shot dead Jonathan McKinsey, 40, the newspaper’s head of engineering for games player experience, in the parking lot of Dublin Sports Grounds around 3.p.m Saturday.
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Zhang → shoot → 3.p.m
Haunting mugshots show Zhang and Chen in custody at Santa Rita Jail, where they were booked early Sunday.
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they → show → Jail
Both arrestees face charges of murder, conspiracy, willful discharge of a firearm with gross negligence and child abuse.
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arrestees → face → negligence
Cops have zeroed in on a family conflict as a possible motive for the shocking crime that saw both halves of the elderly couple allegedly open fire on McKinsey, killing the Berkeley-educated Gray Lady exec in broad daylight.
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halves → zero → daylight
Now that court and law enforcement records have emerged detailing allegations of child abuse against McKinsey, along with reports of domestic violence against his wife, Candice Jang, investigators are looking at revenge as a possible reason for the bizarre murder
Sources close to the investigation said its possible Zhang and Chen opened fire on McKinsey as retribution for alleged misdeeds against his child and Jang, who reported told police that McKinsey struck their child and bruised her arm in a heated dispute.
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McKinsey → emerge → dispute
Zhang and Chen have both given interviews to police, but it’s not clear what they said.
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they → give → what
A spokesman for Dublin Police Services said cops are still investigating their motive for the crime.
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cops → say → crime
“Part of our investigation is looking for motives from all angles, as well as looking at the histories and relationships of everyone involved and associated with the victim and suspects,” said Capt. Miguel Campos.
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Campos → look → victim
The legal evidence suggesting trouble in the home of McKinsey and Jang was buttressed by a chilling post on social media directed at McKinsey that was published just days before he was shot to death.
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he → suggest → death
“Jon, hope everything is going well.
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everything → hope → ?
Hope you can visit us when you have some free time.
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you → hope → time
Mom and Dad love you and miss you,” states the post shared on McKinley’s Facebook page two weeks ago.
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post → love → page
“Hope everything goes well with you and Candice and the kids.”
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everything → hope → you
Court records, seen by The Post, show McKinsey was charged with two counts of misdemeanor child abuse in 2025 by Alameda prosecutors.
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McKinsey → see → prosecutors
The encounter that led to the charges occurred after Jang calling Dublin police to report McKinsey had hit her six-year-old son in the face with an open hand.
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McKinsey → lead → hand
She also told investigators about a 2018 domestic violence incident, where McKinsey bruised her left arm, the documents say.
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documents → tell → arm
When police went to their home, they found their two-year-old child in a room upstairs by himself while he was out shopping, according to a deputy sheriff.
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he → go → sheriff
McKinsey ultimately pleaded not guilty to both crimes and was released from jail on the condition that he take parenting classes.
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he → plead → classes
McKinsey and Jang were fighting a string of legal battles against each other before McKinsey was allegedly killed by her parents.
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McKinsey → fight → parents
Jang sought a domestic violence restraining order against McKinsey in October 2025 and McKinsey sought one against Jang two months later.
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McKinsey → seek → Jang
McKinsey filed for divorce from Jang in December, and the couple continued to litigate child custody this year
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couple → file → custody
, the outlet reports.
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outlet → report → ?
A spokesman for the Times confirmed McKinsey was the victim of the Saturday afternoon shooting and that he had worked for the newspaper since 2023.
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he → confirm → 2023
First responders attempted aid, but he died at the scene.
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he → attempt → scene
Witnesses reported seeing two masked assailants approach McKinsey in the lot.
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assailants → report → lot
They said the shooters took turns unloading bullets into the victim before they were quickly arrested by a passing cop.
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they → say → cop
Harrowing footage from the scene showed a corpse lying in the parking lot, before a couple was bundled into the back of a cop car.
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couple → harrow → car
Zhang and Chen are being held without bail and are due in court Wednesday, according to Alameda County Sheriff’s Office inmate records.
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Zhang → hold → records
While the elderly couple is from the Dublin area, they also have ties to Albuquerque, N.M.
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they → have → Albuquerque
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